Retail Experience Design Specialist II

At WHOOP, we're on a mission to unlock and inspire performance for life. WHOOP empowers members to perform at a higher level through a deeper understanding of their bodies and daily lives. WHOOP is seeking a Retail Experience Design Specialist II to help bring the WHOOP brand and product experience to life across physical retail environments. As a member of the Retail team, you will play an active role in the design and development of engaging, functional, and distinctly WHOOP spaces that introduce consumers to our products and create memorable brand experiences. In this role, you will leverage your architectural training, design expertise, and professional experience to translate creative concepts into thoughtful, executable physical environments. You will take ownership of defined design workstreams and collaborate cross-functionally with Retail, Brand, Creative, Operations, and external partners throughout the design process—from early concepts and spatial planning through design development, documentation, production, and installation. The ideal candidate has a professional degree in architecture, strong spatial and visual design skills, and experience applying architectural design principles to retail, experiential, or branded environments. You are a proactive and detail-oriented designer who can independently develop and communicate design solutions, navigate ambiguity, incorporate feedback, and balance creative ambition with technical and operational requirements. You thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and are excited to contribute to the evolution of WHOOP's physical retail experience. RESPONSIBILITIES: ● Design and develop WHOOP retail environments, including stores, shop-in-shops, pop-ups, fixtures, displays, merchandising elements, signage, and other physical brand touchpoints, taking ownership of assigned design deliverables and workstreams. ● Translate WHOOP brand principles and creative concepts into compelling, cohesive spatial experiences that balance aesthetics, functionality, product storytelling, customer journey, and business objectives. ● Independently develop and refine architectural and spatial design concepts through sketches, plans, elevations, 3D models, renderings, material studies, and presentations. ● Lead space planning and layout development for assigned projects, considering customer flow, product interaction, merchandising, accessibility, operational requirements, and site-specific constraints. ● Produce and maintain accurate, detailed design documentation that effectively communicates design intent to internal stakeholders, vendors, fabricators, and other external partners. ● Collaborate with cross-functional teams across Retail, Brand, Creative, and Operations to define project requirements, identify design opportunities, and translate business and customer needs into practical physical design solutions. ● Drive assigned design workstreams through multiple phases of the design process, from concept development and iteration through design development, production, installation, and launch, ensuring quality and consistency throughout. ● Research, evaluate, and recommend materials, finishes, furniture, fixtures, lighting, signage, and other environmental elements that align with WHOOP brand standards, design intent, durability, and budget requirements. ● Contribute to prototype development and design reviews, proactively identifying opportunities for improvement and refining solutions based on feasibility, cost, schedule, fabrication constraints, and customer experience. ● Work directly with vendors, fabricators, and external partners to communicate design requirements, review shop drawings, samples, and prototypes, resolve design-related questions, and ensure final executions align with design intent and WHOOP quality standards. ● Contribute to the development, refinement, and maintenance of retail design standards, guidelines, templates, and documentation that support a consistent and scalable WHOOP experience across locations and formats. ● Identify opportunities to improve design processes, documentation practices, and execution efficiencies, helping the team deliver high-quality retail environments at scale. ● Stay informed on trends and innovations across architecture, retail, experiential design, materials, fabrication, and consumer environments, proactively bringing relevant ideas and inspiration to the team. ● Manage multiple projects and design deliverables simultaneously, independently prioritizing tasks, communicating progress, and maintaining a high level of organization, accuracy, and attention to detail. ● Travel up to 10% domestically and internationally to support site visits, installations, retail openings, vendors, and project partners. QUALIFICATIONS: ● Professional degree in architecture (M.Arch or BArch) required. ● 2–4 years of professional experience in architecture, retail design, experiential design, environmental design, or a related discipline, with demonstrated experience contributing to projects from concept through execution. ● Portfolio demonstrating strong architectural and design thinking, spatial problem-solving, visual communication, technical development, and an ability to translate concepts into compelling, buildable physical environments. ● Strong understanding of architectural design fundamentals, including space planning, scale, proportion, circulation, materials, detailing, and the integration of functional and operational requirements. ● Proficiency with architectural design and 3D modeling tools, including Rhino; visualization tools, including KeyShot and Enscape; and presentation tools, including Figma. Experience with Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop. ● Demonstrated ability to independently develop, refine, and communicate design ideas through sketches, plans, elevations, diagrams, 3D models, renderings, and presentations. ● Strong visual sensibility and understanding of how materials, color, lighting, graphics, product, and architecture work together to create a cohesive and elevated physical experience. ● Experience producing design documentation and coordinating with vendors, fabricators, or external partners to translate design concepts into physical executions. ● Ability to balance creative design intent with practical considerations, including constructibility, cost, timelines, material selection, and operational needs. ● Exceptional attention to detail with a demonstrated ability to deliver accurate, thoughtful, and high-quality design work with increasing independence. ● Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design ideas, rationale, and recommendations to both creative and non-creative audiences. ● Collaborative mindset with experience working across creative, operational, and technical teams, incorporating feedback, and proactively contributing to problem-solving. ● Strong organizational, project management, and time management skills, with the ability to independently manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and communicate project status and risks. ● Self-motivated, resourceful, and comfortable navigating ambiguity, taking initiative, and adapting quickly in a fast-paced environment. ● Passion for architecture, retail and experiential design, consumer experiences, and the intersection of physical space, technology, fitness, and wellness. ● Strong commitment to embracing and leveraging AI tools in day-to-day tasks, identifying opportunities to improve design workflows and efficiency while ensuring AI-assisted work meets the same high-quality standards as personal contributions This role is based in the WHOOP office located in Boston, MA. The successful candidate must be prepared to relocate if necessary to work out of the Boston, MA office. Interested in the role, but don’t meet every qualification? We encourage you to still apply! At WHOOP, we believe there is much more to a candidate than what is written on paper, and we value character as much as experience. As we continue to build a diverse and inclusive environment, we encourage anyone who is interested in this role to apply. WHOOP is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-verify https://www.e-verify.gov/ to determine employment eligibility. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. The WHOOP compensation philosophy is designed to attract, motivate, and retain exceptional talent by offering competitive base salaries, meaningful equity, and consistent pay practices that reflect our mission and core values. At WHOOP, we view total compensation as the combination of base salary, equity, and benefits, with equity serving as a key differentiator that aligns our employees with the long-term success of the company and allows every member of our corporate team to own part of WHOOP and share in the company’s long-term growth and success. The U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $80,000 - $110,000. Salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within each range, individual pay is based on factors such as job-related skills, experience, performance, and relevant education or training. In addition to the base salary, the successful candidate will also receive benefits and a generous equity package. These ranges may be modified in the future to reflect evolving market conditions and organizational needs. While most offers will typically fall toward the starting point of the range, total compensation will depend on the candidate’s specific qualifications, expertise, and alignment with the role’s requirements. Learn more about WHOOP https://www.whoop.com/us/en/careers/?srsltid=AfmBOopKmph9d0DLBlogZu8mx6do0dzjNS8eJlfc4PQqQtdU6F8DGKBg.